Valmiki Ramayana 2.2.9: Ayodhya Kanda, Sarga 2, Shloka 9

यौवराज्य-प्रस्तावः

Proposal for Rāma’s Installation as Heir-Apparent

Spoken by King DaśarathaSetting: Ayodhyā (implied royal context)

Devanagari script

राजप्रभावजुष्टां हि दुर्वहामजितेन्द्रियैः ।

परिश्रान्तोऽस्मि लोकस्य गुर्वीं धर्मधुरं वहन् ॥९॥

Recitation with translationValmiki Ramayana 2.2.9

Transliteration

rāja-prabhāva-juṣṭāṃ hi durvahām ajitendriyaiḥ |

pariśrānto 'smi lokasya gurvīṃ dharma-dhuraṃ vahan ||9||

Translation

राज का काम बड़ा भारी है। जिनकी इन्द्रिया कभी कंट्रोल नहीं हुई, वो इसको झेल नहीं पाते। मैं खुद थक गया हूँ इस धरम का बोझ उठा के।

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Word by Word

• rāja-prabhāva-juṣṭām: attended by royal power
• Type: Adjective
• Root: rāja (प्रातिपदिक) + prabhāva (प्रातिपदिक) + juṣṭa (√juṣ् + क्त)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); compound qualifying dharmadhuram: 'endowed/attended by royal power'
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण) of dharmadhuram
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• hi: indeed
• Type: Indeclinable
• Root: hi (अव्यय)
• Form: Particle (निपात), emphasis/indeed
• Role: Sambandha-bodhaka (सम्बन्ध/निपात)

• durvahām: hard to bear
• Type: Adjective
• Root: dur (दुर् उपसर्ग) + vah (वह् धातु) + aṇīyar/khac? (lexical adj. durvahā)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying dharmadhuram
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• ajitendriyaiḥ: by the uncontrolled (in senses)
• Type: Noun
• Root: a-jita (प्रातिपदिक) + indriya (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Instrumental (तृतीया/3), Plural (बहुवचन); bahuvrīhi: 'those whose senses are unconquered'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) in instrumental (agent) / Sahakāraka
• Compound: Bahuvrihi

• pariśrāntaḥ: weary
• Type: Adjective
• Root: pari-śram (परि + श्रम् धातु) + kta (क्त)
• Form: Past passive participle (क्त-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); predicate with asmi
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (predicate of 'I')

• asmi: I am
• Type: Verb
• Root: as (अस् धातु)
• Form: Present tense (लट्), First person (उत्तमपुरुष), Singular (एकवचन), Parasmaipada (परस्मैपद)
• Role: Kriyā (क्रिया)

• lokasya: of the world
• Type: Noun
• Root: loka (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Genitive (षष्ठी/6), Singular (एकवचन)
• Role: Ṣaṣṭhī-sambandha (relation)

• gurvīm: heavy
• Type: Adjective
• Root: guru (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); qualifying dhuram
• Role: Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)

• dharma-dhuram: the burden of duty
• Type: Noun
• Root: dharma (प्रातिपदिक) + dhurā/dhura (प्रातिपदिक)
• Form: Feminine (स्त्रीलिङ्ग), Accusative (द्वितीया/2), Singular (एकवचन); tatpuruṣa: 'burden of dharma/duty'
• Role: Karma (कर्म) of vahan
• Compound: Tatpurusha

• vahan: carrying
• Type: Verb
• Root: vah (वह् धातु) + śatṛ (शतृ)
• Form: Present active participle (वर्तमानकाले शतृ-कृदन्त), Masculine (पुंलिङ्ग), Nominative (प्रथमा/1), Singular (एकवचन); agreeing with implicit 'aham'
• Role: Karta (कर्ता) (agent carrying)

Sandhi Notes

• pariśrānto’smi → pariśrāntaḥ asmi
• rājaprabhāvajuṣṭāṃ treated as compound
• ajitendriyaiḥ = a-jita-indriyaiḥ

Context

I am weary of carrying on the heavy burden of duty and find it difficult to sustain the rule of dharma. It can be shouldered by those who have royal qualities (of might, courage etc) and not by those who have not controlled their senses.

The teaching

Power without mastery of the senses makes dharma unbearable; rulership is service, not indulgence.

Duties in tension

• Upholding rājadharma (governance and justice)
• Personal ease/health and the limits of aging
• Sense-control as prerequisite for power

Ethical theme

Rājadharma / self-mastery

How it resolves

Didactic framing (acknowledges burden; implies need for indriya-jaya and/or delegation to a worthy successor)

For your practice

Daily reflection on indriya-nigraha and duty: treat responsibilities as dharma-yoga; cultivate restraint to carry roles without collapse.

Mood and themes

Rasa

Karuna (compassion), with Shanta (peace)

Mood

Burdened, reflective, austere

Themes

• Dharma
• Rajadharma
• Self-control
• Ethics
• Governance
• Satya

Symbolism

Relationships

Cross references

Meter and recitation

Characters & Entities

• Daśaratha
• dharma (as royal duty)

FAQs

What is the core ethical principle (Dharma) in this verse?

Rajadharma requires mastery over the senses; without self-control, power becomes difficult to wield righteously, and duty becomes an unbearable burden.

What is the narrative situation?

Daśaratha explains why he wishes to step back from rule: the responsibilities of dharmic kingship are weighty and demand inner discipline.

Which character virtue is emphasized?

Sense-control (indriya-jaya) as a prerequisite for ethical leadership, alongside honesty about one’s waning strength.